FG begins evacuation of Nigerians from Sudan

• 40 luxury buses hired for operation
• Sirika insists Nigeria Air will begin flight operations before May 29

By Egena Sunday Ode

The Federal Government Wednesday began the process of evacuating Nigerians stranded in Sudan, following the outbreak of conflicts in the North African country.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and his counterpart Minister of State, Amb Zubairu Dada confirmed the development, after the matter was deliberated upon at the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Onyeama who briefed newsmen of government’s plans for stranded citizens in that country, confirmed that 40 luxury buses were already on ground in the crisis-ridden Sudan to pick Nigerians in the country to Egypt.
He said once they are safely moved to Egypt, other arrangements would be effected to airlift them back to Nigeria.
The minister also revealed that the evacuation efforts is being coordinated by the Nigerian embassy in Sudan as well as authorities of the National Emergency Management Agency (NERMA) whose Director General has been on ground in Egypt to receive the evacuees.
According to the Ministers, the buses conveying our citizens were hired at a cost of $1.2million dollars, just as he noted the risks associated with moving the people.
They noted that the hired buses also included the cost of providing security while conveying the victims to the Egyptian territory.
Both Ministers also noted that women and children will be given priority, before diplomats who are equally involved in the evacuation logistics.
They noted that the Nigerian government was leveraging on the 72 hours cease-fire window given by the Sudanese government to evacuate as many Nigerians as possible.
Amb Dada noted that the Saudi Arabia government had already evacuated some Nigerians through the Sea, a development he said was highly appreciated by the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has insisted that the proposed Air Nigeria will still commence flight operations before the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s adminstration.
The minister who fielded questions from newsmen after the weekly FEC meeting at the State House noted that everyone arrangements had been concluded for the take off of the National carrier.
His reassurance is coming just about only 33 days to the exit of the current government.